Catalyst Biosciences Selects Drug Development Candidate in Factor VIIa Program for ...( SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO Calif. May 6 ...),Health

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Catalyst Biosciences, Inc., a pioneer in the discovery and development of engineered proteases known as Alterase(TM) therapeutics, announced that it has selected CB 813, an improved, second-generation variant of human coagulation factor VIIa, as a development candidate for the treatment of acute bleeding in hemophilia patients. CB 813 was created using Catalyst's proprietary therapeutic protease platform technologies and know-how.

CB 813 is designed to substantially enhance clot-generating activity at the site of bleeding and therefore achieve clinical efficacy with fewer and lower doses than current therapy. In established hemophilia models of acute bleeding, CB 813 has demonstrated a significant improvement in potency compared with the marketed recombinant factor VIIa product, NovoSeven(R) and a competing, second-generation product, NN1731. Catalyst intends to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for CB 813 and commence human clinical studies in hemophilia patients in 2009.

"Patients receiving factor VIIa therapy typically require multiple doses of drug and extended treatment times to manage acute bleeding episodes," said Gilbert C. White, II, M.D., Executive Vice President for Research and Director, Blood Research Institute, Blood Center of Wisconsin. "I am excited by the potential shown by CB 813 to improve the efficiency of treatment by achieving a faster onset and an extended duration of therapeutic benefit to patients. These advantages may significantly reduce both the number of doses and treatment time required to manage bleeding and restore normal hemostasis."

"The selection of this development candidate is an exciting milestone for Catalyst. Created to more rapidly and effectively stop bleeding, CB 813 holds great promise as a new agent in the treatment of hemophilia," said Nassim Usman, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Biosciences. "CB 813 is representat
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